With the industry projection that every fourth person in the international workforce will be an Indian, there is a growing demand for skilled people so that they are able to meet the standards. India will supply one lakh caregivers annually, globally, after two years.
To meet this growing demand, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the premier body overseeing the skilling initiatives, on Thursday said it was focusing on international mobility by establishing language labs and assessment centres for Russian, Italian, Korean, and French. Also, 10 new international academies will be established.
India will supply one lakh care workers annually to various countries after the next two years as the demand of the ageing population grows. "Israel has requested 5,000 healthcare workers," NSDC CEO Ved Mani Tiwari revealed, highlighting growing international demand.
Since its establishment in October 2021, NSDC International, a separate unit under the premier body, has facilitated 88,924 overseas jobs across 22 countries, deploying 64,000 candidates in GCC nations, Japan, and the UK across 19 industries, including construction and facility management.
A total of 13,631 trainees have undergone training in NSDC International Centres across India, further strengthening the country's skilled workforce, Tewari revealed.
Workforce development initiatives are being extended to Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) and Africa, while Germany and Japan continue to seek Indian healthcare professionals.
Tewari added that as part of the Job-as-Skills model, NSDC plans to onboard 1 million students, sign MoUs with leading OEMs, and integrate industry-specific tools into career progression pathways.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for making India the skill capital of the world, the government’s focus has been on skilling.
Tewari said since its inception, NSDC has trained over 4.03 crore candidates, including 1.83 crore women and 1.29 crore individuals from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. With a network of over 40,000 skilling centres and 36 sector skill councils, the organisation has played a crucial role in bridging India's skill gap across industries.
Tewari revealed that out of the over 4 crore people skilled by NDSC, 94 lakh secured employment within three months. He said the NDSC kept track of candidates for three months. The overall figure of over 4 crore also includes those who have upskilled.
Talking about the future programmes, Tewari said, NSDC will go in for big expansion in its skilling footprint by setting up 50 new Future Skills Centres and 10 NSDC International Academies to advance skill development and training programs.
“The number of industry-aligned programs will increase beyond 300, covering 12 major emerging technologies. The goal is to train over 2 lakh candidates and establish over 2.70 lakh square feet of training infrastructure, further strengthening employability and workforce readiness,” Tewari added.
Role of NSDC
NSDC is a body working under the Ministry of Skill Development Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in the Public Private Enterprise (PPE) model. As the strategic partner of the Skill India Mission, the organisation aims to set up training centres to prepare the youth with the futuristic skills needed to stay relevant in the job market. They provide support to enterprises, start-ups, and organisations by providing funding support, concessional loans, and other innovative financial solutions.
The demand for the Indian workforce is particularly strong in the construction and home care sector and is expected to increase further in the coming year. Israel has so far accommodated 20,000 construction workers from India and needs 5000 more skilled youth for homecare.
In the coming year, the demand for home care will increase worldwide, rising to 1 lakh and more. This is where NSDC says it can help fill the gap between the employer and employee.
Through its extensive facilities and training centres spread across 750 districts, the focus is on tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The NSDC is increasing its presence in the conflict zones in the countries including the Naxal affected so that the youth are skilled and available for the job market, in order to wean them away from violence.
As NSDC skills, upskills, and reskills the youth, they bring together learners, higher education institutions, corporations, and governments to create a skill ecosystem for all its stakeholders.
Through the partnership, they are not only providing training but also certification that validates the skills acquired by trainees, making them more attractive to employers.
Partnership with 11 premium institutes like IIM and IIT to provide certification programs in tier two and tier three colleges is also a highlight of the organisation and they aim to take the numbers up to 15 in the coming future. Apart from providing support to people seeking jobs in foreign countries, NSDC also provides post-migration support as well as training in tribal areas.
Looking ahead to Mission 2030, NSDC aims to impact 5 crore lives globally, making India a hub for education, employability, employment, and entrepreneurship. The focus will be on emerging technologies, non-tech skilling, and premium education programs in collaboration with top institutions and global corporations.
NSDC’s Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) has played a crucial role in providing digital access to skill training. With 1.30 crore candidates enrolled, including 92 lakh short-term trainees, the platform offers 7,100 courses in 23 Indian languages.
